uc-undergraduate-admissions
If you’re a high school student, you may wonder what it takes to apply to the University of California. This guide will cover the basics of using it for admission as an undergraduate student. We’ll also give tips for submitting your application and staying current on UC admissions news.
The University of California Undergraduate Admissions Office accepts and evaluates applications to the University of California system. The office works closely with its sister offices at each campus to ensure all applicants have equal access to quality education.
UC Application Status and Decision Dates
Each year, UC receives over 220,000 applications from high school seniors who want to enrol as freshmen in the fall of 2019. During regular application periods (fall and spring), UC reviews applications on a rolling basis until it reaches its target number of admits or determines that it cannot admit any more students based on available space/resources.*Once admitted; you may elect to send your official transcripts from any schools you’ve attended since graduating high school–even if they’re not part of a four-year degree program–to be posted automatically by our office after we receive them from other institutions.* If you wish for us not to post these transcripts on MyStatus, then please get in touch with us directly at [email protected]
Steps to Apply
The first step to applying for an admission is completing the UC undergraduate application. You can access it here. Once you’ve completed your application, submit it by the deadline (which is November 30).
- Pay the application fee: The cost of applying depends on whether or not you’re eligible for financial aid and how many campuses want to admit you; however, this fee covers both fees associated with submitting transcripts and test scores as well as those associated with receiving information about financial aid options and campus visits.*
- Submit official transcripts and test scores: This means sending hard copies of official transcripts from all colleges attended since high school graduation (or since ninth grade if you earned less than 24 units at a community college). In addition, send official score reports from any standardized tests taken after January 1 but before September 1 of last year (for example, ACT or SAT). If these documents must be made available because schools/organizations are still processing them, submit unofficial copies until they arrive.
Review admission requirements for majors: Before applying, ensure that everything is complete so there won’t be any problems when making admissions decisions.
Types of Admission
- Freshman: students who have yet to attend UC.
- Transfer: students who have attended another college or university and want to transfer into a UC degree program.
- Undergraduate Degree Completion: Students completing a bachelor’s degree at another institution want to continue their studies at UCI as a second baccalaureate program (for example, if you already have an AA from a community college).
- Graduate: applicants who wish to enrol in graduate school but do not intend on earning their undergraduate degree from UCI (i.e., Master’s or PhD).
UC Application Status and Decision Dates
Decision dates are the earliest and latest dates you can expect to receive an admission decision from UC. The timeline for decision dates is as follows:
- Early Action (November 1) – November 30
- Regular Decision (January 3) – April 1
Decision letters are emailed, so keep your contact information up-to-date in MyUC Application Status and Documents. You’ll also receive an email when we’ve posted a new update on your status!
Intercampus Transfer Policy
If you are a transfer student, please note that the following requirements must be met:
- You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible for admission at UC Berkeley.
- You must complete 60 semester units of coursework before transfer (or its equivalent) with an average of “C” or better in each course.
Posting Official Transcripts
Official transcripts can be sent electronically or by mail. Please note that all official transcripts should be sent directly from the institution that issued them and to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at UC Santa Cruz. If you have attended more than one institution, please send us copies of your official transcript(s) from each school you have heard from.
Takeaway:
- You’re not alone in your confusion about UC undergraduate admissions.
- The process can be confusing, but there are some things you can do to make it easier on yourself.
- The best place to start is by reading up on what’s required for admission and following through with that information once you’re ready to apply.